Prior to the December meeting of the Parks and Rec Commission I tried to work with one of the commissioners to cut the budget to where the levy would be between 2 and 4 cents per thousand of valuation. I went to the meeting, presented my ideas such as purchasing from the State surplus office computers, printers and furniture as well as areas that volunteers could do a lot of the work on Buck Park like what has been done at the Village Green.

To my shock, over the loud speaker, Martha Farish, who was vacationing in a hotel in Bali, said no to my ideas and made a motion for the board to not consider the 4 cent amount and it passed. The members even then questioned why I was concerned that people are unemployed or even in some cases losing their homes. They even questioned why I should be concerned with people having to go to the Food Bank. They just don’t get it.

I left and they then voted for the 9 cent per thousand levy. All that got reduced was the contingency fund. We need not only to vote down this levy with the Commissioners personally having to pay the cost of it, but when their terms come up to replace them with caring people. Even if the levy were to pass, no money comes to the district until after the taxes are collected in April 2012. They will be able to borrow after January 1, 2012.

How the park board ran a good program on $72,000 and these guys need $260,000 needs to be accounted for. Again, vote no against new taxes.

Dick Evans

Olga